The present invention relates to door stoppers that prevent damage to a wall by impact of a door knob and, more particularly, to a door stopper that fits on a door knob or door handle to prevent damage to the wall.
It is well known that the opening of a door may bring the door knob or door handle into contact with a wall or other surface to which the door is mounted. If the door swings against the wall with sufficient force, damage to the wall may result from the impact of the door knob or door handle. Over the years, several types of door stoppers have been developed to prevent damage to the wall by impact of the door knob or door handle.
With references to FIG. 1, a door 12 is shown mounted on a door frame by hinges in a conventional manner. The door 12 includes a door knob 10 for opening and closing the door, which swings towards a wall 24 when opened. FIG. 1 illustrates three conventional types of prior art door stoppers designed to prevent damage to the wall 24 by impact from the door knob 10.
One type of door stopper 4 is mounted on the wall 24 in alignment with the door knob 10 to prevent damage to the wall when the door swings open. Typically, the door stopper 4 is made of an elastomeric material which will absorb the impact. A second type of door stopper 6, also mounted on the wall 24, comprises in a elongated member having an outer portion which contacts the surface of the door 12 before he door knob 10 can contact the wall 24. In this type of door stopper 6, the outer portion of the door stopper that contacts the door 12 is usually made of an elastomeric material for absorbing the impact. Yet another type of door stopper 8 is mounted on the floor and typically has a vertical surface made of an elastomeric material for contacting the surface of the door 12 before the door knob 10 can contact the wall 24.
While the prior art door stoppers are generally useful for their intended purpose, they are not without their disadvantages. For example, the installation of a door stopper on a wall typically creates a weak point in the wall, and repeated impact of the door knob against the door stopper can loosen or dislodge the door stopper, resulting in damage to the wall. Moreover, many of the walls today are of a dry wall construction. As a result, special installation screws are required. This makes the door stopper more difficult to install. Replacing the door stopper after the wall mounting area has been damaged also can be especially difficult.
In the second type of wall-mounted door stopper 6 referred to above, the elongated member projects away from the wall, usually just above the floor, which makes it vulnerable to being stepped on, or having objects placed upon it, which can dislodge it from its mounted position. This requires repositioning or replacement of the door stopper, and creates the potential for wall damage while the door stopper is out of position.
In the floor-mounted type of door stopper 8, installation by a screw or other fastener is usually required, which a pilot hole is typically drilled in the floor. In tile floors, for example, the pilot hole, and/or the mounting screw received in that hole, can propagate cracks throughout the tile floor.
In all of the door stoppers described above, unsightly marks are left behind when the door stopper is removed and replaced with another type or the same type. Wall or floor repair is necessary to return the mounting surface to its original condition. Special installation tools and tedious measurements also may be required for these and other types of door stoppers. All of the prior art door stopper constructions consist of more than one component, require tools for installation, and introduce unknown elements in terms of the time and difficulty required for installation. These installation problems are especially magnified when the mounting area is tiled, carpeted, or papered.
Accordingly, there has existed a definite need for a door stopper that is simple to use easy to install and relatively inexpensive, and which does not require any floor or wall attachments or special installation tools. The present invention satisfies these and other needs, and provides further related advantages.